Minister of Defence Dr Wayne Mapp presents CDR David McEwan with the Mitchell prize for formal speaking (OH08-0867-49tn)
By Squadron Leader Nancy Kirby
On 10 December 2008, the 29 course members of No 49 Staff Course graduated from the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) Command and Staff College. The Staff Course is academically and intellectually demanding, and for seven months the graduands applied themselves diligently to the highest level of professional military education available in New Zealand. The NZDF runs the most demanding, in-house executive development course in New Zealand. To pass the course is an achievement worth celebrating.
The intent of the course is to produce officers who are flexible, agile, enquiring, and open minded; able to apply sound thought, reasoning, and military skills to a variety of complex and uncertain military situations.
Further, the officer will be an excellent, self-aware leader who is a master of the profession of arms and demonstrates the ethos and values of the NZDF. The officer will understand the role, requirements, and responsibilities of the NZDF in society and internationally. They will provide the government and the people of New Zealand with confidence that the NZDF is effectively and efficiently led and managed.
This vision creates a Staff Course that encourages officers to broaden their minds and challenges them with complex contemporary issues. Amid a changing international security dynamic, the course philosophy is to help prepare officers for an uncertain global future as they lead the NZDF into the future. The education we provide is not an end in itself, but rather a means to an end - that being the development of leaders who can command, manage, and plan in a joint operational and strategic environment.
In the final week of the course leading up to graduation, the College hosts a series of capstone presentations under the Sir Keith Park Memorial Lecture Series. Lectures given included those by His Excellency the Honourable Anand Satyanand, Rt Hon James Bolger, and Dr Vincent Orange . These mark the culmination of the Course, which this year includes officers from all three services of the NZDF, the Customs Service of New Zealand, the Government Communications Security Bureau, and the Defence Forces of Australia, Brunei, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, South Korea, Tonga and the United Arabs Emirates.
I wish to thank the staff at the College for their hard work and diligence throughout the year and the extra hours of work they have given to the graduands. I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of Massey University in providing the post-gradate programme, and all the staff at Trentham Camp for the ongoing support to the College. Finally I would like to thank the families and whanau of the graduands, for their support and encouragement.
To the graduands; well done! The fruits of your labours may not yet be apparent, but over the forthcoming months and years, the benefits of this course shall be realised. Education and military professionalism are life long endeavours. Your challenge now is to maintain the momentum developed during your time at Command and Staff College and strive always to be masters of your profession.
2008 Graduands
Major Saeed H.M.A.AL Yammahi, United Arab Emirates
Major M.S. Ayers, NZ ARMY
Squadron Leader K.J. Beaulne, Royal Australian Air Force
Squadron Leader T.R. Evans, RNZAF
Major R.W. Gillies, NZ ARMY
Lieutenant Colonel A.Gray, NZ ARMY
Major Haslen Haji Hassan, Royal Brunei Air Force
Major H.M. Horn, NZ ARMY
Major J.N. Keleto, Papua New Guinea Defence Force
Major Kennedy Lim L.K., Singapore Armed Forces
Lieutenant Commander Reynaldo P. Lopez, Philippines Navy
Chaplain Class3 L.E. Lukin, NZ ARMY
Lieutenant Commander J. Mace, RNZN
Major A.C. Mackenzie Everitt, NZIC
Mr M. Maich, NZ Customs
Commander D. McEwan, RNZN
Major C.P. Mitchell, NZ ARMY
Squadron Leader M. Mitting, Royal Australian Air Force
Major Zainurin Mohd Dom, Royal Malaysian Air Force
Major S.H. Park, Republic of Korea Air Force
Lieutenant Commander A.C. Parker, RNZN
Major K.F. Pepper, NZ ARMY
Squadron Leader W.J. Quennell, RNZAF
Lieutenant Commander S.O. Rooke, MNZM RNZN
MS A. Smith, GCSB
Lieutenant Colonel Inf Henra Hari Sutaryo, TNI
Lieutenant Commander T.A. Tuita, Tonga Defence Services
Squadron Leader D.A.I. Williams, RNZAF
Major G. Zhan, PLA ARMY